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Gels
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Innovative Soft Materials with a Focus on Gels
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Innovative Soft Materials with a Focus on Gels

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Processing and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 3323

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Marco Castriota

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physics, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
Interests: metal–oxide layers; polymers; cultural heritage; materials of biomedical interest; electrochromic devices; gel materials; Raman spectroscopy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, titled “Innovative Soft Materials with a Focus on Gels”, aims to shed light on the advancements, properties, and applications of gels in the field of materials science, which covers a variety of research topics related to gels, including their synthesis, characterization, properties, and their use in advanced applications such as biotechnology, electronics, and cultural heritage protection. While significant progress has been made in the development of hydrogels in recent years, several challenges remain due to their high complexities in molecular interactions. These pressing issues range from preparation, processing, and characterization to practical applications. For example, there is a lack of control over their mechanical, electronic, and optical properties, as well as biocompatibility and stability, which are determined by various factors such as their chemical composition, crosslinking density, and micro- and nanostructures. Designing hydrogels with specific mechanical properties requires a deep understanding of the underlying chemistry and physics of hydrogel formation.

Overall, this Special Issue aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the recent advancements in and applications of gel materials. We hope that the research articles we publish contribute to the growing body of knowledge on gel materials and inspire further exploration and innovation in this exciting field.

Dr. Marco Castriota
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • gel materials
  • synthesis, characterization, and properties
  • biomedical applications
  • electronics
  • intelligent materials

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 10377 KB  
Article
The Effects of Polymerization on the Performance of Viologen-Based Electrochromic Devices
by Antonello Nucera, Carmen Rizzuto, Mario Michele Pipita, Irene Barba Castagnaro, Roberto Termine, Riccardo C. Barberi and Marco Castriota
Gels 2024, 10(11), 694; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10110694 - 25 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2641
Abstract
In this work, electrochromic devices were prepared using the redox couple ethyl viologen diperchlorate and 1,1′-diethyl ferrocene in propylene carbonate as an aprotic solvent to facilitate ions separation and diffusion inside the devices. Electrochromic devices were made using electrochromic gel mixtures at the [...] Read more.
In this work, electrochromic devices were prepared using the redox couple ethyl viologen diperchlorate and 1,1′-diethyl ferrocene in propylene carbonate as an aprotic solvent to facilitate ions separation and diffusion inside the devices. Electrochromic devices were made using electrochromic gel mixtures at the concentrations of 55%, 60% and 65% with respect to the bisphenol A polymer. In particular, two sets of gels were made: one set contained the bisphenol A not-polymerized while and the second one contained the polymerized polymer. Different techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry, UV-vis-NIR, and Raman spectroscopy, were used to study such systems to understand the differences in terms of performances between the different sets of electrochromic devices. Cyclic voltammetry confirmed that the oxidation process of the 1,1′-diethyl ferrocene and the reduction of the ethyl viologen diperchlorate occurred at about 0.4 V. Interesting variations in the transmittances were found between the two groups of samples. The best values of CE were provided by the electrochromic devices based on the polymerized electrochromic gel mixture at a concentration of 60% (EM60). The EM60 device result was CE = 92.82 C/cm2 in the visible region and CE = 80.38 C/cm2 in the near–infrared region, confirming that these devices can be used for energy-saving applications. A structural characterization of the materials used in the two sets of electrochromic devices was made using Raman spectroscopy, and the analysis supports the electrochemical models used to explain the processes involved during operation of the electrochromic systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Soft Materials with a Focus on Gels)
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Review

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31 pages, 3760 KB  
Review
Artificial Intelligence Informed Hydrogel Biomaterials in Additive Manufacturing
by Zhizhou Zhang, Zach Z. Tao, Ruiling Du, Runxin Huo and Xiangrui Zheng
Gels 2025, 11(12), 981; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11120981 - 6 Dec 2025
Viewed by 193
Abstract
Hydrogel additive manufacturing underpins soft tissue models, biointerfaces, and soft robotics. The coupled choices of formulation, rheology, and process conditions limit the progress. This review maps how artificial intelligence links composition to printability across direct ink writing, inkjet, vat photopolymerization, and laser-induced forward [...] Read more.
Hydrogel additive manufacturing underpins soft tissue models, biointerfaces, and soft robotics. The coupled choices of formulation, rheology, and process conditions limit the progress. This review maps how artificial intelligence links composition to printability across direct ink writing, inkjet, vat photopolymerization, and laser-induced forward transfer, and how vision-guided control improves fidelity and viability during printing. Interpretable predictors connect routine rheology to strand stability, data-driven classifiers chart droplet regimes, and optical dose models with learning enhance voxel accuracy. Polymer informatics, including BigSMILES based representations, supports generative screening of precursors and crosslinkers. Bayesian optimization and active learning reduce experimental burden while honoring biological constraints, and emerging autonomous platforms integrate in situ sensing with rapid iteration. A strategic framework outlines a technological progression from current open-loop data gathering toward real-time closed-loop correction and ultimately predictive fault prevention through digital twins. The synthesis provides quantitative routes from formulation through process to function, establishing a practical foundation for predictive, reproducible hydrogel manufacturing and application-oriented design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Soft Materials with a Focus on Gels)
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